Tuesday, November 28, 2017

I'm looking forward to the upcoming conversation on the celestial foundations of the Bible, which is scheduled for this Saturday, December 2nd at 7pm Pacific time (which equates to 10pm Eastern time on December 2nd, for those in North America, and which equates to 3am UTC on December 3rd).

The web-based interactive class will be ninety minutes long, and I'm planning to give a presentation with visual images and planetarium views for the first fifty minutes, followed by forty minutes for questions and discussion.

You can reserve your space in the webinar by visiting this web page (look for the button that says "Add to Cart"). You can also receive a 50% discount from the price of the class by using the coupon code found on the "Video" page of my website (enter the coupon code during the checkout process, after you click "Add to Cart").

After you sign up, you will receive a link which will allow you to submit questions in advance, in case you prefer to ask questions that way rather than during the live webinar. The class will also be recorded, so that you can view it again later.

Also, if you are unable to attend the class in person at the time that it is being offered, you can submit questions in advance and watch the recording at a different time, although of course I hope that as many people as possible can attend during the event itself. I will do my best to address all questions that are submitted.

I am planning to discuss a few episodes and characters which I have not addressed in previous blog posts or videos, as well as some of the likely messages that various episodes and figures might be intended to convey to our understanding.

The image above shows a painting by Rembrandt, depicting the scene in which the aged Simeon and Anna encounter the Christ child and prophesy, which is found in the canonical gospel according to Luke, chapter 2.

I would argue that Rembrandt has incorporated specific references to zodiac signs marking two important points on the Great Wheel of the year (two points which are opposite to one another) in the body posture and hand positions of Simeon and Anna in his painting -- and that in doing so he has by implication incorporated the entire sweep of the full circle of the annual cycle in his depiction of the episode in Luke chapter 2.

Also note, of course, that the very name "Anna" refers to a "ring" or a "circle" and is thus used in the Latin word which signifies "a year" (the Latin words for "annual" and a "year," annualis and annus, are very close to the word anulus, which means "a ring," and although some may argue that they are not in any way related, since one is spelled with two n's and the other with only one, they are certainly very close to one another in sound, as well as conceptually, and thus it seems likely to me that there is some relation between them). In any case, the name "Anna" can be seen to share the same root as that found in familiar words such as "annual" and "anniversary."

The upcoming course is presented in conjunction with Ananda University. I'm very much looking forward to it and hope that you can be part of the conversation!

Friday, November 24, 2017

It discusses the abundant evidence which points to the conclusion that the scriptures of the Bible, in common with virtually all the other ancient myths, scriptures and sacred stories found in cultures around the globe, are built on a foundation of celestial metaphor and use the heavenly cycles of the sun, the moon, the visible planets, and the stars and constellations to convey profound truths about the interaction of the Visible and Invisible Realms, the interaction of the physical and spiritual natures, and the journey of our soul down from the realm of pure potentiality and into this incarnate form through which we are all presently sojourning.

The video presents the crucially-important framework expounded by Alvin Boyd Kuhn in a short work he titled Easter: The Birth-day of the Gods, a framework which I find to be incredibly helpful in understanding the "code" or "language" employed by the ancient myths in order to convey their profound message and meaning.

We will see how this framework, and the understanding of the connections between specific characters and episodes in the Bible and specific constellations in the night sky, helps us to hear the profound message in some selected stories of the Old and New Testaments, in my upcoming 90-minute interactive webinar class entitled "Celestial Foundations of Biblical Mythology" (hosted by Ananda University).

In order to receive a 50% discount from the price of that class, enter the coupon code found in the "Video" section of the Star Myth World website when you sign up for your space in the course.

I hope to see you there.

More importantly, I hope that the information about the celestial foundations of the world's ancient myths and scriptures -- including those contained in what we call the Bible -- will help anyone who struggles with the fear of eternal punishment in an afterlife realm called "hell" and based on a literalistic interpretation of ancient scriptures which are actually speaking an esoteric and celestial language.

Please share this video with anyone else who might find it to be helpful, and subscribe to receive notification of future videos as they are published.

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Peter Kingsley, a prophetic scholar of ancient
philosophy and ancient Greek philosophers, explains "what prophecy really
is" in one of the lectures in his outstanding collection entitled The Elders.

In that talk, Peter Kingsley explains:

Prophecy is not about the future. Prophets don't
talk about the future. What they do is: they talk about the past -- which has
been hidden. Things which have happened -- that have been covered over, and no
longer clear. That is what the real prophets do: they speak about the past, but
the past that has been forgotten.

I have written about this profound observation in
previous posts, such as here
and here.

As Dr. Kingsley goes on to explain, the ancient
Greek myths frequently illustrate the problem of "things which have
happened -- that have been covered over [. . . ] the past that has been
forgotten," in the scenario in which a transgression has never been
admitted and repaired, resulting in ongoing punishment by the gods until the
prophet is called upon, who can identify the cause of the problem (the
covered-over transgression) and the problem can be addressed:

And you can see it also at the very beginning of
Homer's Iliad, when there is a whole plague. The soldiers are devastated, by
sickness and plague. They're suffering; they're dying. And what happens, in
this case? They find a prophet, and they ask him what's going wrong. And he
says: "Apollo -- these are the arrows of Apollo. He's shot these arrows of
plague, into the troops, because you did something wrong, you offended
Apollo." And then it all becomes very simple. Because you see, once you
know what's wrong, then you can sort it out -- you can make amends. It's very,
very precise. That is what prophecy is.

A very similar scenario is recounted in the
lead-up to the Trojan War, when the ships of the Achaeans cannot sail for Troy,
because Agamemnon has offended Artemis, and a prophet must be found who can
explain what the leader has done wrong and how to remedy the problem.

This is a very powerful truth, expounded in the
ancient wisdom of the myths, and by the prophetic Peter Kingsley.

It is especially important to consider this
profound and inalterable truth on this particular day, November the 22nd, the
anniversary of the murder of President John F. Kennedy -- a situation where the
truth has been covered over for fifty-three years [now fifty-four] by lies, and has never been
adequately admitted, addressed, or remedied.

Because of this failure to confront the truth,
the consequences continue to manifest in an ongoing tragedy.

This article by
Gary Weglarz, published today, explains the ongoing
ramifications succinctly and powerfully. In that article, the author cites a
poignant and bitter observation by Charles de Gaulle, upon returning from the
funeral of President Kennedy:

They don't want to know. They don't want to find
out. They won't allow themselves to find out.

Prophecy is not about the future. Prophets don't
talk about the future. What they do is: they talk about the past -- which has
been hidden.

And, in most of the ancient myths which
illustrate this profound truth, the actual root of the problem is known by
those who want to remain in denial about the situation. But the problem cannot
be remedied until it is admitted, and addressed.

This course is web-based and will include plenty of time for questions and dialogue. We will look at some of the evidence which shows that the figures and episodes found in the scriptures of what are commonly called the Old and New Testaments of the Bible are based upon the world-wide system of celestial metaphor which forms the foundations of the ancient scriptures, myths and sacred stories from cultures around the globe.

The live webinar begins at on December 2nd at 7pm Pacific Time, or 10pm Eastern Time, which corresponds to 3am on December 3rd in UTC. The webinar is scheduled to run for ninety minutes (until 8:30 Pacific Time).

The course costs $20 USD, but after you click "Add to Cart" on the web-page linked above, you can enter the coupon code holiday17-50 to receive 50% off the standard price.

You will also receive a code to access the video archive of this course a week or two after the live event.

If you're unable to participate in this course at the above-scheduled time, there should be a way to purchase access to the archived video for some price less than the standard $20 cost for the live class (but higher than the cost of the course using the 50% discount that you will get when you use the coupon code above).

I very much hope that you will be able to join me as we explore the celestial foundations of the incredible riches of the ancient myths, scriptures and sacred stories of the world!

Friday, November 17, 2017

The video provides a tour of some of the stars and constellations that you can go outside and observe at this time of year, as well as some tips on locating and identifying them.

The video also discusses connections to a few selected myths and sacred stories which are based upon the stars and constellations visible in the night sky right now.

Friends following this blog will know that I recently appeared on the Grimerica Show with Darren and Graham to discuss the "Skies over Grimerica" for the month of November. Due to the limitations of time, we couldn't cover all of the constellations that you can go outside and see during this time of year -- so I've added this video for those who might find it helpful for their star-gazing efforts.

There are still plenty more myths and constellations to discuss in upcoming installments of the "Skies over Grimerica" feature -- in fact, I focus the myth discussions in the above video on constellations which will soon be rotating out of the post-sunset night sky (as the earth progresses along its annual orbit, we "leave some constellations behind" which sink down into the west a little bit further each night until they are out of view below the western horizon by the time the sun sets and the other stars come into view).

I hope this video will help you in your visits to the night sky, and in your understanding of the connections between the stars and the world's ancient myths, scriptures and sacred stories.

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

image: J. H. Nelson, "Shortwave Radio Propagation Correlation with Planetary Positions," 1951, page 32 (link).I have read several, but by no means all, of the works of the extraordinarily insightful and original author, Joseph P. Farrell. Some of the most eye-opening of his books (to me) have included The Grid of the Gods and Thrice Great Hermetica and the Janus Age. However, I am only now getting around to reading Joseph Farrell's 2010 work, Babylon's Banksters: The Alchemy of Deep Physics, High Finance and Ancient Religion, and I consider it to be the most comprehensive and intriguing work of his that I've encountered to date.As I mentioned in my recent visit to Grimerica during the inaugural edition of "Skies Over Grimerica," discussing some of the constellations and planets you can see each month in the night sky (and their connection to ancient myth), Babylon's Banksters is not at all a "dry text" about finance and economics but in fact delves into cutting-edge (and indeed suppressed) theories of hyper-dimensional physics, as well as the evidence that ancient cultures may have possessed a sophisticated understanding of the apparently multi-dimensional nature of this universe through which we are all traveling.Among the many fascinating pieces of evidence which Dr. Farrell presents which appear to support the notion that this reality is impacted by other dimensions beyond those admitted by conventional science and physics is a 1951 paper published by J. H. Nelson, of the engineering department at the RCA Communications Company, detailing astonishing correlations between propagation of shortwave radio waves and the positions of the planets within the solar system. As the 1951 paper explains, "An examination of shortwave radio propagation conditions over the North Atlantic for a five-year period, and the relative position of the planets in the solar system, discloses some very interesting correlations" (26). Specifically, author J. H. Nelson discovered, based upon years of graphs based upon records kept in the duty logs of RCA technicians located in Long Island, New York that: "It can be readily seen from these graphs that disturbed conditions show good correlation with planetary configurations. All configurations, however, are not accompanied by disturbed conditions." Specifically, the data indicates that when the planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter or Saturn have alignments or groupings at angles of 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, or 270 degrees, disturbances are seen in the shortwave radio propagation on earth. Nelson sets out the different planetary configurations that were found to create the greatest disturbances in a series of seven "deductions" or principles which appear to govern the results observed in the data. He also presents several diagrams of planetary positions which corresponded to historical disturbances in shortwave transmission and reception during the 1940s, some of which are shown in the diagram above. In those diagrams, the sun is shown at the center of the circle, and lines are drawn to represent the relative angles between the planets Mercury (designated by the number 1), Venus (designated by the number 2), Earth (designated 3), Mars (4), Jupiter (5) and Saturn (6).But why would the relative configurations of the planets have an impact on radio wave activity on earth (as well as, the article hints, an impact on sunspot activity on the surface of our sun, and thus upon earth weather and electromagnetic activity)? "Further investigation is required," the paper declares.One would think that such an astonishing phenomenon, observed by engineers at the venerable RCA company and supported by years of carefully-recorded observations and data, would have been widely discussed in the decades since it was first brought to light, and that those of us who have taken courses in physics at the college level would certainly have heard of it. One would think that dozens or even hundreds of other papers might have been published on this phenomenon since then, and that the original essay would be easy to find in several places on the world-wide web in the present time. But if one were to have assumed any of those things, one would be mistaken. In fact, the original paper is rather difficult to locate. Certainly there are several sources which list the title of the article, its author and its date of publication, but finding the actual text is very difficult. The only place that I was able to find it was at Richard C. Hoagland's Enterprise Mission site, where this "index" page contains links to eight pages, each of which contains an image of one of the eight pages of the original article. The interested reader is encouraged to examine the full 1951 article by following each of those eight links, and is especially encouraged to note the seven rules or "deductions" regarding the planetary alignments which were observed to create the greatest disturbances on the earth.Joseph Farrell's suggestion regarding the explanation for this phenomenon is extraordinary -- and may explain a host of other fascinating evidence from many other fields. Drawing on theories put forward by innovative physicists over the past hundred or so years, and especially it seems upon the theories proposed by mathematical physicist Hartmut Muller, Dr. Farrell suggests (if I am understanding his work correctly) that wave-patterns originating in other dimensions may be impinging upon the dimensions that we are able to perceive -- which may explain why the planets in our solar system can be seen to be arrayed at specific harmonic intervals, and why (curiously enough) certain biologists whose work Dr. Farrell also discusses in the book have noted that the morphology (body sizes) of known organisms on earth appear to group themselves in similarly mathematically-predictable intervals, and even why economic and other human activity appears to follow similar harmonic cycles, as documented by Edward R. Dewey and Edwin F. Dakin in their 1947 work, Cycles: The Science of Prediction. Dr. Farrell even points out that, in one of his earlier books, he cited evidence that the same kinds of harmonic wavelike patterns can be seen in human demographic dispersion over geographic space, "in areas favored or shunned by urban populations" (cited on page 111 of Babylon's Banksters).In order to understand the full scope of what Dr. Farrell is arguing, a careful examination of the entire book is highly recommended to the interested reader. But note some of the implications of this paradigm, in which the realities of another dimension (or other dimensions) are penetrating into our reality and creating patterns which we can perceive, without being able to directly perceive (or even completely perceive) what is taking place in those other dimensions, which are outside of our normal experience. Citing an excellent analogy offered by the Russian esotericist, P. D. Ouspensky, Dewey and Dakin in their 1947 work note that a hypothetical being who existed only in two dimensions, like a figure drawn on a piece of paper, could neither look into the third dimension or even accurately imagine it: "for you have no thickness, and cannot even imagine thickness" (192, cited in Farrell 100).If a three-dimensional wheel were to intrude into this hypothetical two-dimensional space in which the two-dimensional beings lived -- if the "paper-thin" world had a slot in it, in which a vertical three-dimensional wheel was slowly turning -- and if that wheel was divided into four sections, each with a different color, Ouspensky says in his analogy, then the two-dimensional beings would only see an infinitely thin line of color as the wheel turned, and that color would change periodically, but they would not be able to comprehend why it was changing, unless they were able to theorize the existence of a third dimension and the existence of this three-dimensional wheel that was intersecting with their two-dimensional space. And this, Dewey and Dakin surmise, might explain why these cycles are manifesting in the data that they compile in their book.And this, Dr. Farrell argues, might help us to understand what is going on with the evidence that the arrangement of the planets -- the cycles of the planets -- can have very real correlation with seemingly disconnected phenomena on earth. The planets themselves, he notes, may be "natural resonators" for the kind of hyper-dimensional waves that are intersecting with or interpenetrating with the dimensions of which we are normally conscious or aware (page 113). In fact, the planets themselves may be positioned in the solar system at the intervals that we observe them to be because large masses tend to cluster around the nodes of those hyper-dimensional waves in the first place, if I am understanding Dr. Farrell's arguments correctly (see again page 113). And thus the planets themselves are visible indicators of hyper-dimensional realities from a plane or a realm beyond the ordinary reality in which we normally operate! What is astonishing about this fact, of course (and Dr. Farrell gets into this angle in his book as well) is that the ancients clearly seem to have understood this fact, because the planets of course are identified with the gods across the ancient sacred traditions of humanity (and, what is more, there are strong correspondences across cultures regarding which gods and goddesses and which characteristics are associated with each planet).It should also be noted that many ancient monuments can be found to have measurements and ratios and spacial patterns which relate to the dimensions of the earth, sun, moon, and planets -- and that the Avenue at Teotihuacan has been argued, based upon the measurements and proportions discovered by Hugh Harleston and other researchers, to have proportional correspondences to the spacing of the planets in our solar system. Based on the paradigm offered by Joseph Farrell in Babylon's Banksters, it is possible to theorize that this grouping at Teotihuacan may not necessarily indicate a direct imitation of or modeling of the solar system in the buildings themselves -- instead, Teotihuacan may have been created by those with an awareness of the "other realm" or "other realms," and the intrusion of those other dimensions into this one may also be responsible for the grouping of the planets at the distances that we find them.What can be seen with great certainty is that the ancient mythologies and sacred traditions the world over associated the heavenly cycles with the actions of the gods and with the Other Realm. And, based upon evidence such as that compiled by shortwave technicians at the RCA company during the 1940s, we can see that the motions of those heavenly cycles, to include the arrangements of the planets, have very real impacts upon our world in ways that we still do not fully understand (although it does appear that the ancients understood them, to a degree beyond what is commonly understood today).In other words, the gods are very real (the powers which operate in other dimensions, and which can intersect with and influence what takes place in this one). The impact of dimensions or realities beyond the dimension in which we normally operate is also very real -- even if, like the hypothetical two-dimensional beings living in the infinitely flat plane proposed by P. D. Ouspensky, we have a difficult time even imagining or conceiving of these other dimensions or realities.The ancient myths and sacred stories of humanity often feature the story of a king or other central figure who is approached by a god or gods and offered a choice (such as in the dream of Solomon, discussed here, or in the many variations of the theme of the beauty contest in which the choices are connected to power, wisdom, or the enjoyment of the most beautiful woman in the world). In another variation of this mythical episode, King Midas chooses (unwisely) to ask for unlimited wealth and riches, by having everything he touches turn to gold. But in the story of Solomon, the king asks for wisdom in order to help others -- and this is the choice that the ancient myths condone (the other choices, such as the choice of Midas or of Paris in the story of the Judgment of Paris, lead to disaster). By implication, I am convinced that the ancient myths are telling us that when we begin to understand how the motions and powers of the Other World impact on this one, we are supposed to use that understanding in order to ask for wisdom and to help others. We are not supposed to go to the gods or the Other Realm in order to seek power over others, or riches, or self-aggrandizement and self-indulgence.And yet it is clear that there are those who understand some aspects of the multi-dimensional realities that are being discussed above and in Joseph Farrell's books, and who wish to use the gifts of the gods for their own power and enrichment, rather than (like Solomon) for wisdom in order to help others. See for example the discussion and metaphor offered in the previous post entitled "The Cobra Kai sucker-punch," from September 11, 2014.Along these lines, it is especially interesting to examine the alignment of the various planets on specific dates associated with traumatic and suspicious incidents, including September 11, 2001, in order to see if the alignments correspond with some of the rules or principles outlined in the 1951 essay by RCA engineer J. H. Nelson. Those configurations noted on pages 30 and 31 of the article linked above include alignments of 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees with Saturn and Jupiter, and alignments in which Mars is at one of those angles with Saturn or Jupiter, and alignments in which there is "a great concentration of planetary influence near the 0, 90, 180, or 270 points of the Saturn-Jupiter team" (30-31).Note that in the three diagrams in the image shown at top, there is often one or more "180-degree alignments" (creating a more or less "straight line" bisecting the circle) plus another planet at about 90 degrees from this line.Now note how often we find a similar pattern among the configurations of the planets on suspicious or traumatic days in recent history. The diagrams below are taken from the online orrery app at inthesky.org, where you can dial up any date back to the beginning of the year 2000 and see where the planets are (you can also change the plane of the solar system as you view it -- the images below are looking "straight down," from the north-end side of earth as it orbits, upon the plane of the solar system). Note that the image at top also shows where you could see the planets against the background constellations from the view of an observer on earth on that particular day.The first diagram shows the arrangement of planets on September 11, 2001. The circles indicate the orbits. The sun is in the center, then the first circle shows the orbit of Mercury, then the next shows Venus, then Earth, then Mars (the outermost circle in the inner group). Then there are two much larger circles, first for Jupiter and then for Saturn (and these planets are labeled with their names -- the others are not). I have added green lines going all the way out to the Saturn-orbit circle, in order to show the geometries (similar to the lines in the diagrams from the article of J. H. Nelson):

As you should be able to see, the planetary configuration on that day bore strong similarities to some of those shown in the 1951 article by J. H. Nelson. Specifically, we see a "180-line" created by the planets Jupiter and Mercury (and the Sun at the center), along with a nearly "90-degree-line" created by the position of the Earth (which is the planet on the third ring out from the Sun, and the ring just inside the orbit of Mars, which is the outermost of the tight group of rings near the Sun).

Below is the same chart showing the planets on September 11, this time with the 180 and 90-degree lines highlighted in red:

Next, the arrangement of the planets is shown for the date of 12/14/2012 is shown. This is the date of the notorious Sandy Hook event. The pattern here is not as clear-cut as the configuration shown above or the others shown below, because we do not see the clear "180-line" that we see in most of the diagrams from Nelson. However, it should be fairly evident that there is a 90-degree angle between Saturn and Mars, which is a configuration mentioned in Nelson's principles in the original article. Not only that, but the positions of Mercury and Venus are very close to the direction of the Saturn-line, thus indicating that we have what Nelson describes as a "concentration of planetary influence near the 0, 90, 180, or 270 degree points" of Saturn or Jupiter (in this case, Saturn):

Below is the same diagram for 12/14/2012, this time with the lines for the angles of Saturn and Mars drawn in red (and you can see the lines for Mercury and Venus right next to the line for Saturn):

Below is the planetary configuration for the date of 06/12/2016, which is the date of another traumatic event in recent history, the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando:

In this diagram of the planetary configurations, we can see a very clear 180-line, bisecting the circle, formed by Venus and Earth on either side of the Sun. Jupiter is 90-degrees off of this 180-line. Additionally, Jupiter and Saturn are nearly at 90-degrees to one another, and both Mars and Earth are close to Saturn in terms of angle from Jupiter, creating another "concentration of planetary influence" such as described in the Nelson article from 1951. Below is the same diagram with the 180 and 90-degree angles highlighted in red:

Below is the planetary configuration for the date of October 01, 2017, which was the date of the murders in Las Vegas under extremely suspicious circumstances, which traumatized the entire world:

Once again, we do not see a clear 180-line, but we do see a very clear 90-degree angle created by the positions of Earth and Saturn. In addition, we do see that Mercury (on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth) is making a near-180-degree line with the Earth and the Sun, as highlighted in red in the diagram below:

Again, the reader is encouraged to compare these configurations to those shown in the image from the J. H. Nelson article which diagram planetary positions which created great disturbances in the electromagnetic spectrum and in the propagation of shortwave signals.The similarities of the above patterns to the patterns in the Nelson article from 1951 do not conclusively demonstrate that someone who is aware of the power of the planets and who understands the significance of various planetary configurations is planning or coordinating or scripting traumatic events, including the events that took place on the dates shown in the orrery diagrams above. However, these configurations on those dates certainly give us something to consider, and constitute data that bears keeping in mind for further analysis in the future. Hopefully, there will not be more such traumatic (and often suspicious) events -- but if so, the planetary configurations should be noted for signs of a recurring and ongoing pattern.The ancients understood that the powers of the Unseen Realm (or Realms) are indeed real. The ancient wisdom of the world appears to encourage us to use this understanding in order to benefit others, and not in order to obtain power over others, or in order to harm others, or in order to accumulate wealth. Such misuse of the gifts given by the gods always leads to disaster, in the world's sacred stories and traditions, and to serious consequences sent by the gods themselves.The data compiled by the RCA engineers and technicians, and analyzed by J. H. Nelson appears to offer compelling evidence that the gods or powers with whom the planets have anciently been associated are indeed real, and do have the ability to impact our world in ways we do not understand today. And the overwhelming evidence that the ancient myths are directly based on the motions of the stars, the planets, and the other heavenly cycles should show us that the ancients, even in remotest antiquity, knew it. We in the modern era should start to remember it, because this knowledge is sadly forgotten (or neglected, or actively suppressed) today.Thank you to Joseph Farrell for his ongoing work in bringing this evidence to light, and for his analysis of its tremendous and wide-reaching implications.It should go without saying that Dr. Farrell does not endorse and does not necessarily share many of the views or conclusions that I may have come to in my own analysis and discussion above or in other blog posts or publications.

Friday, November 10, 2017

Here is a new article by peace activist and advocate, David Swanson, entitled "A New Armistice Day."

In it, he notes that the day later changed to "Veterans Day" in the united states was once called "Armistice Day" in commemoration of the cessation of armed conflict after what was then known as the "War to End all Wars."

The word "armistice" literally means a standstill or cessation of armed violence, and is etymologically related to the word "solstice," which means the standstill of the sun which occurs each year in June and December.

As David Swanson notes, when the elected representatives of the people declared November 11th to be observed as Armistice Day in the united states, they set the day aside to "perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations."

Thus, he sees the change of the name of the observance from Armistice Day to "Veterans Day" as one fraught with ominous implications -- and certainly the day is no longer observed as a day "dedicated to the cause of world peace," as those bygone congressional representatives also hoped would be the purpose of this solemn day.

Instead, the united states now perpetuates armed aggression on virtually every continent on our planet, without cessation (certainly without cessation since 2001). Congressional representatives even expressed surprise recently when they learned that four members of the army had been killed in Africa, some members of Congress professing that they didn't even know the united states had forces operating on that continent.

General Smedley Butler, in his famous treatise entitled "War is a Racket," argued that war should never be declared except by plebiscite in which only persons of fighting age could vote yes or no. He also argued that military planes should be limited by law to operations within 500 miles of the borders or coastlines, for defense purposes and not for wars of aggression. Military ships, he argued, should be limited to 200 miles. And the army or land forces should be prohibited from operations outside the borders of the country at all.

Both the text by General Butler, and the new article by David Swanson, might be good to read and ponder on this Armistice Day, November 11, 2017.

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Another big thank-you to hosts Darren G. and Graham D. for graciously inviting me over to the Grimerica Igloo on what turned out to be a snowy night in the wilds of the far north.

This was a special first-ever segment of a series entitled "Skies over Grimerica" in which we discuss some of the beautiful celestial phenomena you can see in the heavens each month.

In this inaugural episode, we discuss the motions of the earth, moon, stars and planets for the month of November (2017) -- as well as some of the ancient myths connected with constellations which will be visible this month, along with thoughts about their meaning for our lives today.

Here is a link to the video of our conversation, which was recorded earlier this evening (on November 01, 2017). As you will see, we brought in some visual aids from the excellent open-source planetarium app, Stellarium (available for free download at stellarium.org), as well as a brief look at the relative location of earth, sun and planets within the solar system using the interactive orrery app at "in the sky (dot org)."

That link to "in the sky" will take you to a solar system model which includes the path of Comet 55P / Tempel-Tuttle, a comet with a period of approximately 33 years. Our own orbital path around the sun will intersect with the track of Comet 55P / Tempel-Tuttle later this month (although the comet itself is far away right now). Even though the comet is nowhere near us right now, it leaves dust and debris each time it passes through, and when our orbit goes through that trail, we see this residue as a meteor shower -- in this case, the Leonid meteors which take place on or about the 17th of November each year (when we get to this part of our annual orbit).

During the show, we talked a little about some of the myths involving the constellations Perseus, Hercules, Aquila and Cygnus (mostly about the myth of Perseus and the Gorgons, and his quest to slay Medusa). The Perseus myth is explored in much greater depth in books I've written, especially in Star Myths of the World, Volume Two (2016) and also in The Undying Stars (2014).

Due to limitations of time, we didn't get to all the constellations that you can see this month, or to all of the myths associated with them. A few other important myths associated with the constellation Perseus and surrounding constellations, which are covered in previous posts, include the story of Balaam and the Ass (in the book of Judges in the Hebrew Scriptures), and the story of King Midas (in the myths of ancient Greece), among many others.

The nearby celestial figure of the Great Square of Pegasus was also pointed out in the show, but we didn't have time to get into all of the myths associated with this important feature (which you should be able to find fairly easily in the night sky during the month of November). One of the ancient sacred stories in which this Great Square plays an important role is the story of Shem, Ham and Japheth (the sons of Noah), following the story of the Genesis Flood. I believe that this story is intended to teach us spiritual truths -- but that when it is taken literally, its message is completely inverted, focusing on external and physical details rather than pointing us to focus on the spiritual nature of ourselves and others.

We also didn't have time to get to the constellation Aquarius, who also plays many extremely important roles in ancient myth around the globe, and whose stars are visible this month if you know where to look (use the Great Square as a guide). A fascinating myth featuring Aquarius and surrounding constellations, from the Aboriginal Australian cultures, is discussed at some length in Star Myths of the World, Volume One (2015). Other sacred stories involving Aquarius which have been explored in previous blog posts include the stories involving John the Baptist in the New Testament scriptures.

The powerful god Dionysus of the mythology of ancient Greece is also associated with Aquarius in some of the sacred stories of the Dionysus cycle of myths (and with other constellations in other parts of the cycle). The association of Dionysus with Aquarius makes sense, because Dionysus is the god of wine (among other things), and Aquarius can be seen to be pouring out liquid from a vessel in the heavens.

Below is an ancient amphora thought to date to the 6th century BC which depicts Dionysus holding out a kantharos with which he will presumably pour some wine -- a posture which evokes the outline of the constellation Aquarius. The identification of Dionysus with Aquarius is confirmed by the ancient artwork, because a large goat with prominent horns has been depicted beside the god. If you look in the direction of Aquarius in the night sky (or if you look at the planetarium app Stellarium, or the book by H. A. Rey which shows you how to find and identify the constellations), you will quickly realize that the zodiac constellation of Capricorn the Goat is very close to the zodiac constellation of Aquarius, and that in fact Capricorn precedes Aquarius in the annual cycle of the zodiac.

These are just a few of the connections between the constellations visible during the month of November and sacred stories preserved among the different cultures of the world, designed to convey ancient wisdom for our benefit and blessing in this incarnate life.

I believe that these ancient myths are a precious inheritance given to all humanity -- and that when we begin to connect the stars and the myths, our time spent gazing up into the night sky becomes even more meaningful. I hope that you will have an opportunity to get out this month and see them in person, if at all possible, and I hope that this month's "Skies over Grimerica" segment will help you to begin to connect with them in a meaningful way.